Fastener feeding and driving mechanism



E. s. MOORE ETAL 2,754,860

FASTENEJR FEEDING AND DRIVING MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 17, 1956Filed June 23, 1954 lnvgntors E. $.MOORE O. S. NE/LL RAW. EMERY July 17,1956 E. s. MOORE ErAL 2,754,860

FASTENER FEEDING AND DRIVING MECHANISM Filed June 23, 1954 6Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventors E. S. MOORE 0.5. NE/LL R. W. EMERY B-M X' YAtty s y 1956 E. s. MOORE ETAL 2,754,860

FASTENER FEEDING AND DRIVING MECHANISM Filed June 25, 1954 6Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventors E. S. MOORE O. S. NE/LL R. W. EMERY July 17,1956 E. s. MOORE ETAL FASTENER FEEDING AND DRIVING MECHANISM 6Sheets-Sheet 4 lnvento rs E S MOORE O. S. NE/LL R W EMEPY BY- s Atty sFiled June 23, 1954 July 17, 1956 E. s. MOORE EI'AL 2,754,860

FASTENER FEEDING AND DRIVING MECHANISM Filed June 25, 1954 6Sheets-Sheet 5 8 y & '1! Q I n no In? ll M m I. Q mm o v7" :Qs i

2 p, I, 3 R Q I} m a r M I Q y g 8 22 Inventors E. $.MOO/PE' 0.5.NE/LLR. W. EMERY July 17, 1956 E. s. MOORE ETAL 2,754,360

FASTENER FEEDING AND DRIVING MECHANISM Filed June 23, 1954 6Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG. 7

inventors E. S. MOORE 0.5. NE/LL RW. EME/P) United States PatentFASTENER FEEDING AND DRIVING MECHANISM Edgar S. Moore, Oswald StuartNeill, and Roy W.

Emery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, assignors to Taymouth IndustriesLimited, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Application June 23, 1954, Serial No.438,724 18 Claims. (Cl. 144-32) This invention relates to a device forserving fastener elements to a desired position to be operated on by adriving tool.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide means for feedingfasteners to the driving tool and actuating the driving tool wholly bymeans of fluid pressure.

A further object is to provide simple and eflective' means for feedingfasteners one at a time tool.

These objects are attained by means of a fastener feeding mechanismhaving a passage for carrying fasteners from a fastener container to adriving tool, means for introducing fasteners from the fastenercontainer into said passage, means of said passage for feeding thefasteners one at a time to the tool, andmeans for operating the fastenerintroducing means and the fastener feeding means in synchronism,characterised by the provision of a fluid pressure circuit having aconnection to the. driving tool for actuating said tool, a connection tothe said operating means for actuating the said operating means, aconnection to the fastener passage for chasing the fasteners in saidpassage to the tool, a master control valve for controlling fluidpressure in the connection to the operating means, and a supply controlvalve in the connection to the fastener passage actuated in synchronismwith the operating means.

These objects are further attained by the provision of fastener feedingmeans including a shuttle comprising a reciprocatable plate disposedacross the feed passage and dividing the passage into a first partcommunicating with the fastener container and a second partcommunicating with the tool, the plate being arranged to receive fromthe first part of the pasasge a fastener lying on its side, the platehaving a slot through which a fastener may pass and which is adapted tobe brought into registration with each of the parts of the passage, theplate being movable from fastener receiving position to another positionat which the slot is in register with the second part of the passage topermit a previously received fastener to pass through the slot anddischarge into the second part of the passage, and means being providedto reciprocate the plate between the fastener receiving position and thesaid discharging position to feed the fasteners one at a time to thetool.

The invention is hereafter more particularly described and isillustrated in the annexed drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top perspective view partly broken away of a fastenerserver constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a side view also partly broken away of the server taken fromthe opposite side to Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of the fastenerfeeding shuttle broken away in several places to show the operationthereof;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the shuttle operatingmechanism;

Figure 5 is a side elevation partly in section of the driving tool;

to a driving Patented July 17, 1956 Figure 6 is a fragmentary viewsimilar to Figure 4 showing the driving tool in fastener drivingposition; and

Figure 7 is a diagram of the apparatus showing the air circuit.

In the drawings corresponding numerals refer to corresponding parts inthe different figures.

This invention is described for use in connection with screws, althoughit should be understood that it is applicable to various types offasteners, such as nails, rivets and pins. The fasteners are containedin a storage hopper 1 from which they are fed beneath an adjustablebaffle 2 into a feed hopper 3 having a bottom which slopes downwardlyand inwardly towards a slot. An elevator 4 reciprocates between uprightchannel members 6, 6 on upright channel member 5.

The elevator 4 is formed of two plates spaced apart to provide afastener receiving slot 7 in its upper edge. The upper edge of theelevator slopes downwardly from the back to the front of the hopper.When the elevator is at its lowest position as shown in dotted lines inFigure 2 its upper edge at the back of the hopper will be at or slightlybelow the bottom of the feed hopper 3 and it will slope down towards thefront of the hopper at which point it will be considerably below thebottom of the hopper so that fasteners will cover the fastener receivingslot 7. When the elevator rises some of the fasteners will be caught inthe slot 7 with their heads engaging the upper edge of the elevator andtheir shanks depending in the slot substantially vertically.

In the upper position of the elevator 4 its upper edge is in alignmentwith the upper edge of a trackway 8 formed of spaced apart plates havinga fastener receiving slot 9 therebetween. When the elevator is in itsuppermost position fasteners in the fastener receiving slot '7 will beintroduced into the slot 9 of the trackway 8 and will slide down saidtrackway to the shuttle mechanism which will hereafter be described.

The elevator 4 is caused to reciprocate by means of compressed air orother suitable fluid actuating a doubleacting piston in a cylinder 10(see Figure 2). The piston rod Id is connected to an L-shaped bar 11which passes through a slot in the channel member 5 and is securedat itsupper end to the lower part of the elevator 4 which is shown in itselevated position in Figures 1 and 2 and in its lower position in dottedlines in Figure 2.

The lowermost fastener of a procession of fasteners which have passeddown the trackway 8 is stopped by a reciprocating shuttle plate 13having a substantially T-shaped slot 13* extending through it. The plate13 is reciprocatable by means hereafter described to move the slot 13into register with the lower end of the fastener receiving slot 9 of thetrackway 8 permitting the fastener to be deposited in the slot 13 on itsside.

The reciprocating plate 13 slides between plates 12 and 14. Plate 14 hasa longitudinal groove 14 therein which receives a complementary rib 13in the reciprocating plate 13. This provides plate 13 on the fixed plate14 and also provides a groove to accommodate the head of the screw whenthe screw is lying on its side in the slot l3 with its head at thejunction of the T. I I

Extending through the fixed plate 14 is a slot 14 which opens throughopening 15 into screw delivery pipe 15 secured to the underside of thefixed plate 14.

When the reciprocating plate 13 is moved to a position Where the slot 13is in register with the slot 14 the fastener which has been received inthe slot 13 drops into the fastener feed pipe 15 through opening 15 fromwhich it passes to a tube 16 and thence to the driving tool hereafterdescribed.

a guideway for the reciprocating Reciprocation of the shuttle plate 13is effected by the following means.

Secured to the piston rod is a substantially Z-shaped rod 17 which isforked at 17 to receive a longitudinally curved arm 18 secured to a rockshaft 19 rockably mounted on hearing 20 on the upright channel member 5.Secured to the other end of the shaft 19 is a resilient shuttle engagingrock arm 21. Vertical reciprocating movement of the piston rod 11 willbe translated into rocking movement of the curved arm 18 which will inturn rock the shaft 19 and the arm 21.

Secured to the underside of the reciprocating shuttle plate 13 at oneend thereof is an operating arm 22 extending transversely of the saidreciprocating plate terminating in a forked end 22 which receives theupper end of the rock arm 21. As the arm 21 rocks back and forth, itwill move the reciprocating plate 13 back and forth. The operating arm22 will engage the fixed plate 14 as the reciprocating plate 13 moves tothe left, thus acting as a stop to stop the plate 13 with the slot 13 inregister with the slot 14 Secured to the underside of the reciprocatingplate 13 at the other end is a stop 23 which engages the fixed underplate 14 when the reciprocating plate 13 has been moved to its extremeright hand position, stopping the plate 13 with the slot 13 in registerwith the lower end of the fastener receiving slot 9.

To guide the fasteners in the trackway 8 a removable guide bar 24 ismounted above and spaced from the upper edge of the trackway 8sufficiently to accommodate the head of the fasteners which aretravelling in the slot 9. This guide bar is pivoted at its lower end onthe fixed plate 14 as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, and is removablysupported above the trackway by a U-shaped bracket 25 of resilientmetal, having holes in the ends of its arms adapted to receive pins 25on the sides of the trackway and thus retain the guide bar 24 in readilyremovable position relative to the trackway, whereby it can be removedto inspect the procession of fasteners travelling down the trackway andto clear the track or straighten the fasteners if any of them shouldbecome stuck out of position.

To avoid jamming of fasteners at the entrance to the trackway 8 anejector 26 is provided hingedly mounted on the upper end of the guidebar 24. This ejector forms a continuation of the upper surface of theguide bar 24 and its front face 26 is located in an opening 3 in thefront of the feed hopper 3.

A spring 26 engages the upper surface of the ejector 26 and resilientlyretains it in normal position, permitting, however, the ejector to beraised in the event that the elevator should lift some misalignedfasteners and jam them beneath the front face 26 of the ejector. Thespring pressure thus applied to maladjusted fasteners will straightenthem or return them to the hopper, thus preventing jamming at thejunction between the elevator and the trackway.

The fasteners from the feed pipe 15 are forced through resilient tube 16to the driving tool illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings bymeans of air pressure carried to the feed pipe 15 through air pipe 27 asshown in Figures 1 and 2. The feed pipe 15 and resilient tube 16 withthe trackway provide a passage from the fastener container to thedriving tool. The shuttle forms part of the passage for feeding thefasteners one at a time from the trackway to the feed pipe. The fastenerdriving tool may be of any suitable type of pneumatic screwdriver, 28.Details of the screwdriver are therefore not shown in the drawingsexcept so far as may be necessary to describe the present invention. Thescrewdriver is operated by compressed air delivered through resilienttube 29 and controlled by means of tool control valve having aconvenient manually operable operating lever 30.

Attached to the end of the driver 28 is a serving head which comprises atubular Y-shaped member having one 4 branch 31 slidably mounted within asleeve 32 surrounding the shank 33 of the tool. The other branch 34extends through a slot 32 in the sleeve 32 to permit relative movementof the sleeve and the Y-shaped member.

The branch 34 has connected thereto the end of the flexible fastenerfeeding tube 16. Encircling the shank 33 is a coil spring 35 seated atone end in a counterbore 36 in a reduced tubular extension 37 of thesleeve 32 fitting into the body of the tool.

The opposite end of the spring 35 bears against a guide sleeve mountedwithin the branch 31 of the tubular Y-shaped member. This spring 35 actsto urge the Y branch 31 out of the sleeve 32 to clear the entrance ofthe branch 34 into the branch 31 below the tool bit 38 to allow entranceof the screw or fastener into a collet 39 at the lower or outer end ofthe Y-shaped member.

This collet 39 comprises a plurality of collet or chuck memberspivotally mounted on the end of the sleeve 31 and resiliently pressedtogether by an oil proof elastic band 40 passing around the colletspermitting them to open and close to allow the passage of a screw orfastener therethrough, as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.

The branch 31 is provided with a number of projections 41 (one of whichis shown in Figures 5 and 6), which extend through slots in the colletmembers 39 and guide them in their opening and closing movements andprevent their rotation under driving of the screw. The encircling band40 acts to close the collet members to the position of Figure 5 withsuflicient force to prevent the head of the fastener from passingbetween the collet members under pressure of air in the tube 16.

Under pressure applied by the operator on the screwdriver, however, toadvance the tool bit 38 and shank 33 through the Y-shaped member, thebit will first contact the positioned screw and press it against thework. By pressing the operating lever 30 of tool control valve air isadmitted to the screwdriver which causes the bit to rotate and drive thescrew into the work.

To prevent the collet from touching or marking a surface into which thescrew is to be driven and to transfer the thrust back to the Y in aguided push, a foot 44 is preferably secured to the branch 34 of the Yand this foot projects in advance of the collet. This arrangementprevents an unbalanced thrust in the collet which would, without care,cause one collet member to be displaced differently from another,allowing the screw to tilt.

A set screw 45 is screwed into the Y 31 and projects outwardly through aslot 32 in the said sleeve 32 opposite to slot 32*. As the screwdriveris operated the set screw 46 moves from one end to the other of the slot32 acting as a stop defining the limits of movement of the Y-shapedmember and preventing the spring 35 from ejecting the Y-shaped member.

The device is operated by means of a fluid pressure system, preferablypneumatic and will be so described. Briefly the air system consists of acircuit connected to a suitable source of compressed air having aconnection running to the driving tool 28 for actuating said tool,another connection to the elevator-operating cylinder 10, and anotherconnection to fastener feed passage for chasing fasteners to the tool. Amaster control valve is located in the connection to the operatingcylinder 10. This master control valve is actuated through a fluidpressure line controlled by a valve adjacent the tool. A supply controlvalve in the connection to the fastener feed passage is operated insynchronism with the elevator-operating cylinder to feed a fastener tothe tool each time a fastener is introduced into the fastener feedpassage. The air under pressure is brought from a suitable source ofsupply through air supply pipe 46 illustrated in Figure 2 and showndiagrammatically in Figure 6, to a T-joint 47 to which is connected apipe 48 running to a master control valve 49, also shown in Figure 2 anddiagrammatically in Figure 7. In the valve position shown in Figure 7air pressure will pass from the master valve 49 through pipe 50 to theunderside of cylinder 10, forcing piston 51 to its uppermost position,as shown in Figure 7. In the position shown in Figure 7, air in the.upper part of the cylinder 10 has been exhausted through pipe 52,master valve 49 and exhaust 53.

This raises the elevator 4 to the position shown in Figure l which isthe normal position when the tool is not in use but is ready to beoperated.

When the tool is put in use the operating lever 30 of tool control valve30 is depressed by the operator causing the bit 38 to rotate and theoperator then applies pressure to the tool to move the bit forward intodriving engagement with the fastener as illustrated in Figure 6. Thelever 30 may be depressed simultaneously with supply control lever 54.As shown in Figures 5 and 7, these control members are arranged adjacentto each other, whereby compressing feed control lever 54 will cause itto engage tool lever 30 and thus actuate the screwdriver while at thesame time actuating the feeding mechanism. If desired, however, the usermay conveniently manipulate them independently. It will be observed byreference to Figure 5 that if the feed control lever 54 should beactuated to feed a fastener through tube 16 while the bit is in itsdriving position, the fastener is prevented from being fed into thecollet by reason of the fact that the shank 33 of the bit 38 blocks theentrance of the Y-branch 34 into the Y-branch 31.

Depression of the supply control lever 54 actuates the master valve 49to cause the piston 51 in air cylinder to move to its down position andto cause the elevator 4 to drop. As it descends, elevator 4 strikespivoted actuating arm 55 of supply control valve 56 to open said valveand permit passage of air through air pipe 27 to screw delivery pipe tochase a screw down said pipe and through tube 16 to the serving head. I

The supply control lever 54'is pivotally mounted on a block 57 (seeFigures 5 and 6). The main air pressure supply pipe 29 to thescrewdriver 28 passes through the block 57 by means of a passageway 58.There is a bypass 59 to an air tube 60 which leads to the master valve49 for operating it.

The by-pass 59 is normally closed by spring pressed ball 61, but springpressed ball 61 may be pressed by means of plunger 62 out of itsseat-engaging position to open by-pass 59 to permit tool-operating airfrom air supply pipe 27 to pass to the air tube 60.

When the supply control lever 54 is released a spring 63 presses theball 61 upward into feed engaging position and closes by-pass 59. At thesame time the plunger 62 will be forced upwardly and in turn it willraise the lever 54. Connected to the air tube 60 is a passageway 60which leads to atmosphere. lower position it blocks the passageway 60*.When it is in upper position it permits air from the air tube 60 to passthrough the passageway 60 to atmosphere thus venting the end of themaster cylinder 49 and permitting the piston 64 of said master cylinderto return to the normal position shown in Figure 7.

However, when by operation of the supply control lever 54 the piston 64is moved from the position shown in Figure 7 to the other end of themaster control valve 49 air from the pipe 48 will pass into the mastervalve 49 and thence to the pipe 52 and into the upper end of theactuating cylinder 10 to force the piston 51 down. The air in thecylinder 10 will be exhausted through pipe 50 and the exhaust 65. Y

will engage the actuating arm 55 of the supply control valve 56. Thissupply control valve may be of any suitable construction but is showndiagrammatically in Figure 7 as provided with a piston 66 which isspring pressed by spring 67 against the actuating arm 55 to normallyclose the air pipe 27. When the actuating arm 55 is pressed When theplunger 62 is in p When the elevator 4 drops in the hopper, to pick upanother screw, simultaneously the reciprocating shuttle plate 13 will bereciprocated through the medium of the rock arm 21 and associatedmechanism as already'described, carrying a fastener from the bottom ofthe trackway 8 and depositing it in the fastener feed pipe 15. As theactuating piston 51 reaches the bottom of its stroke, the elevator 4will approach its lowermost position and back by the downcoming elevator4, the piston 66 is moved to open to the passage and permit air underpressure to enter the fastener feed pipe 15 and chase a screw down thetube 16 to the tool 28, where, if the screwdriver is in operation, itwill be stopped by the shank of the bit until the screwing operation iscompleted and the tool is released to permit the bit to retract andadmit the screw through the Y-branch 34 into the Y-branch 31 where itwill be held by the collet 39.

As soon as the feed control lever 54 is released, the unbalanced ofpressure in the cylinder 49 will permit the piston 64 to return toinitial position, causing the piston 51 in air cylinder 10 to reverseits position, lift the elevator 4, and release the arm 55 to close theair supply to the fastener feed pipe. The machine is then prepared todeliver the next fastener.

It will be observed by reference particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3 thatwhen the reciprocating shuttle plate 13 is retracted, it will close theopenings 14 and 15 into the fastener feed pipe 15, preventing escape ofthe air under pressure used to chase the fastener down the feed pipe 15and the tube 16.

What we claim as our invention is:

l. A fastener feeding and driving mechanism having adriving tool, apassage for carrying fasteners from a fastener container to the drivingtool, means for introducing fasteners from the fastener container intosaid passage, means associated with said passage for feeding thefasteners one at a time to the tool, and means for operating thefastener introducing means and the fastener feeding means insynchronism, characterised by the provision of a fluid pressure circuithaving a connection to the driving tool for actuating said tool, aconnection to the said operating means for actuating the said operatingmeans, a connection to the fastener passage for chasing the fasteners insaid passage to the tool, a master control valve for controlling fluidpressure in the connection to the operating means, and a supply controlvalve in the connection to the fastener passage actuated in synchronismwith the operating means.

2. A faster feeding and driving mechanism having a driving tool, apassage for carrying fasteners from a fastener container to the drivingtool, means for introducing fasteners from the fastener container intosaid passage, means associated with said passage for feeding thefasteners one at a time to the tool, and means for operating thefastener introducing means and the fastener feeding means insynchronism, characterised by the provision of a fluid pressure circuithaving a connection to the driving tool for actuating said tool, aconnection to the said operating means for actuating the said operatingmeans, a connection to the fastener passage for chasing the fasteners insaid passage to the tool, a master control valve for controlling fluidpressure in the connection to the operating means, a fluid pressure linein said circuit for actuating the master control valve, a pressurecontrolling valve located in said line adjacent the driving tool, and asupply control valve in the connection to the fastener passage actuatedin synchronism with the operating means.

3. A fastener feeding and driving mechanism having a driving tool, apassage for carrying fasteners from a fastener container to the drivingtool, means for introducing fasteners from the fastener container intosaid passage, means assocated with said passage for feeding thefasteners one at a time to the tool, and means for operating thefastener introducing means and the fastener feeding means insynchronism, characterised by the provision of a fluid pressure circuithaving a connection to the driving tool for actuating said tool, aconnection to the said operating 7 means for actuating the saidoperating means, a connection to the fastener passage for chasing thefasteners in said passage to the tool, a master control valve forcontrolling fluid pressure in the connection to the operating means, afluid pressure line in said circuit for actuating the master controlvalve, a pressure controlling valve located in said line and having amanually operable control member located adjacent the driving tool, anda valve in the fluid pressure connection to the tool having.

a manually operable control member located adjacent the first mentionedvalve control member whereby the user may conveniently manipulate bothsaid control members.

4. Mechanism as claimed in claim 3 in which the valve in the fluidpressure line to the master valve includes a valve closing member, aplunger for operating said valve to open and close the line, and apassage to open the pressure line to atmosphere when the valve isclosed.

5. A fastener feeding and driving mechanism having a passage forcarrying fasteners from a fastener container to a driving tool, meansfor introducing fasteners from the fastener container into the passage,means for operating the fastener introducing means and the fastenerfeeding means, and means associated with said passage for feeding thefasteners one at a time to the tool, characterised in that the fastenerfeeding means includes a shuttle comprising a reciprocatable platedisposed across the feed passage and dividing the passage into a firstpart communicating with the fastener container and a second partcommunicating with the tool, the plate being arranged to receive fromthe first part of the passage a fastener lying on its side, the platehaving a slot through which a fastener may pass and which is adapted tobe brought into registration with each of the parts of the passage, theplate being movable from fastener receiving position to another positionat which the slot is in register with the second part of the passage topermit a previously received fastener to pass through the slot anddischarge into the second part of the passage, and means to reciprocatethe plate between the fastener receiving position and the saiddischarging position to feed the fasteners one at a time to the tool.

6. Mechanism as claimed in claim 5 in which the reciprocatable plate isslidable between upper and lower fixed plates, the upper plate having anopening therethrough communicating with the first part of the passageand registering with the slot in the reciprocatable plate in oneposition of said plate and the lower plate having an openingtherethrough and communicating with the second part of the passage.

7. Mechanism as claimed in claim 5 in which the first part of thepassage is offset from the second part whereby fasteners are received inthe slot in the reciprocatable plate from the first part of the passageand carried to and deposited in the second part of the passage.

8. Mechanism as claimed in claim 5 including a fluid pressure circuithaving a fluid pressure connection to the fastener passage immediatelybelow the shuttle for chasing the fasteners to the test.

9. A fastener feeding and driving mechanism having a passage forcarrying fasteners from a fastener container to a driving tool, meansfor introducing fasteners from the fastener container into the passage,means for operating the fastener introducing means and the fastenerfeeding means, and means associated with said passage for feeding thefasteners one at a time to the tool, characterised in that the fastenerfeeding means includes a shuttle comprising a reciprocatable platedisposed across the feed passage and dividing the passage into a firstpart communicating with the fastener container and a second partcommunicating with the tool, the plate being arranged to receive fromthe first part of the passage a fastener lying on its side, the platehaving a slot through which a fastener may pass and which is adapted tobe brought into registration with each of the parts of the passage, theplate being movable from fastener receiving position to another positionat which the slot is in register with the second part of the passage topermit a previously received fastener to pass through the slot anddischarge into the second part of the passage, means to reciprocate theplate between the fastener receiving position and the said dischargingposition to feed the fasteners one at a time to the tool, a fluidpressure circuit having a fluid pressure connection to the fastenerpassage immediately below the shuttle for chasing the fasteners to thetool, and a supply control valve in the fluid pressure connection to thefastener passage actuated in synchronism with the shuttle to permitfluid pressure to pass through the connection to the fastener passageafter the shuttle has deposited a fastener therein below the shuttle.

10. Mechanism as claimed in claim 9 in which the reciprocatable platecloses the fastener passage above the fastener after depositing thefastener therein.

11. Mechanism as claimed in claim 9 in which the supply control valve ismechanically actuatcd by the means for operating the fastener feedingmeans.

12. Mechanism as claimed in claim 5 in which the means for operating thefastener feeding means includes a reciprocating member whichreciprocates the shuttle.

13. A mechanism as claimed in claim 5 in which the means forreciprocating the fastener feeding plate includes an arm having anopening therein, a curved arm fixed on a rock shaft and extendingthrough the opening in said arm, and a shuttle engaging rock arm fixedto said rock shaft whereby reciprocation of the reciprocating memberrocks the curved arm, the rock shaft and the rock arm to reciprocate theshuttle.

l4. Fastener feeding and driving mechanism including a driving tool anda fastener container having an inclined trackway having a slot thereinfor carrying fasteners from the fastener container to the driving tool,an elevator in the fastener container having an inclined slot thereinfor receiving fasteners, means for vertically reciprocating the elevatorfrom a position adjacent the bottom of the hopper to a position inalignment with the trackway, characterised in that an ejector isresiliently mounted above the trackway substantially at the junctionbetween the trackway and the fastener receiving slot when the elevatoris in elevated position, said ejector being adapted to give way underpressure of misaligned fasteners and return to normal position as theelevator descends to reject or align misaligned fasteners.

15. Fastener feeding and driving mechanism as claimed in claim 14characterised in that the groove in the inclined trackway is formed ofspaced rails adapted to receive the shank of a headed fastener betweenthem with the head of the fastener resting on the upper edge of therails and the ejector consists of a resiliently mounted extension of abar which overlies the rails and is spaced from them to accommodate theheads of the fasteners.

16. Fastener feeding and driving mechanism having a driving tool, apassage for carrying fasteners from a fastener container to the drivingtool, means for introducing fasteners from the fastener container intosaid passage, means associated with said passage for feeding thefasteners one at a time to the tool, and means for operating thefastener introducing means and the fastener feeding means insynchronism, characterised in that the fastener passage which extendsfrom the fastener container to the means for feeding the fasteners oneat a time to the tool comprises an inclined trackway having spaced railsadapted to receive the shank of a headed fastener therebetween with thehead resting on the upper edges of the rails, a bar overlying the railsand removably supported thereby, and a support for the bar comprisingspring clips.

17. A fastener feeding and driving mechanism having a driving tool, apassage for carrying fasteners from a fastener container to the drivingtool, means for introducing fasteners from the fastener container intosaid passage, means associated with said passage for feeding thefasteners one at a time to the tool, and means for operating thefastener introducing means and the fastener feeding means insynchroniszii, characterised in that the fastener container comprisestwo parts one of which opens into the fastener passage and is separatedfrom the other part by a baflle to limit the number of fasteners passingfrom said other part to the part Which opens into the fastener passageto prevent fastener accumulations adjacent the entrance to said fastenerpassage.

18. A fastener feeding and driving mechanism having a driving tool,means for actuating the driving tool, a passage for carrying fastenersfrom a fastener container to the driving tool, means for introducingfasteners from the fastener container into said passage, meansassociated with said passage for feeding the fasteners one at a time tothe tool, and means for operating the fastener introducing means and thefastener feeding means in synchronism, characterised by the provision ofa fluid pressure circuit having a connection to the said operating meansfor actuating the said operating means, a connection to 10 the fastenerpassage for chasing the fasteners in said passage to the tool, a mastercontrol valve for controlling fluid pressure in the connection to theoperating means, and a supply control valve in the connection to thefastener passage actuated in synchronism with the operating means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS509,733 Halkyard Nov. 28, 1893 1,813,697 Dellaree July 7, 1931 1,944,360Meyer Jan. 23, 1934 2,373,992 Billinghurst Apr. 17, 1945 2,471,793 StullMay 31, 1949 2,534,140 Moore Dec. 12, 1950 2,544,165 Krasnow Mar. 6,1951 2,554,732 Doyle May 29, 1951 2,646,091 Austin July 21, 19532,657,721 Shaif Nov. 3, 1953 2,689,589 Allen et a1 Sept. 21, 1954

